Why Was Jesus Born?

The sound and the fury of the Christmas holiday is mostly over where I live. The cold rains fall slowly outside; the paper from the few gifts we bought has been collected and placed into a bag. Music about Christmas (some carols, some not) caresses the sound waves in the background, muffled by hair dryers as my ladies prepare for our next event--a brunch with family.

With all the activities around us, it is so easy to forget what Christmas is truly about; why exactly Jesus was born. He came to put a stop to things like the murder-suicide just north of us. When Jesus rules, insane acts like this one are dispelled. But it is more than that....

2,000 years ago, about ten miles from Jerusalem, in the tiny town of Bethlehem, a baby was born that would change the world. He was given two names: one was Jesus, meaning Jehovah Saves; the other, Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Both names bring great news and great promise.


God is with us in all of life. He is with us today. He is with us in the hard times; he is with us in the good times.

God is with us in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end of our lives. God with us.

That, neighbor, is what this season is all about.

That is why Jesus was born.

Reality Check

I read some amazing headlines today:
"VIDEO: Crazed shoppers stampede at TARGET..."  "Marine stabbed at BEST BUY..." "Shopper arrested after packing gun in belt; knives, 'pepper grenade'..."



I promise you, I was not motivated to go out and join the throngs. A friend said she went to the "other" discount chain that much of America shops, only to see women tussling over toys, cursing one another; men pushing back and forth, battling for position in the aisles. This kind of insanity baffles me beyond words.

It's time for a reality check, ladies and gents. This sense of desperation and anger is not a healthy sign. In the last days, Paul said, perilous times will come. Men will be selfish and godless. They will think more of pleasure than they do of God. They will have a some kind of godliness, but not the kind you get by knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.

This time of the year is supposed to be about the Lord Jesus, first; then it is about showing our families their love. I hope you find that true in your life.

What Christmas Means to "Them"

Many in the western world are busying themselves with their Christmas preparations. Even in our city, one can drive around and find houses trimmed with lights and all kinds of joyful signs of this great celebration. We laughed as we made our way to the airport a few nights ago. There were all kinds of lighted snowmen, angels, bells, and other decorations lining the median in the avenue. We were amazed to see them, till we saw the locks holding them to the posts. But even at that, it is the first Christmas I remember seeing such decorations on open display in that part of town.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, things don't look quite the same. Christians in parts of India fear for their lives. You can read about it here. Not far away from there, many Chinese are suffering for the cause of Christ, as stated here. There is an agressive attempt to erradicate Christianity from China. Some people never learn; God opened the door and no man will shut it. Nigerian believers are suffering; the same goes in many other parts of the world.

And we westerners still express dismay and amazement over our nativity scenes, over our right to openly display the words "Merry Christmas." Do not misunderstand me; I have a great appreciation for the liberties we have historically enjoyed. I don't want to lose them anymore than the next guy. But when compare with the believers in Iran, or Iraq, or Bangladesh, such harrassment is so small and inconsequential.

Next week, when you stop to open that gift that your loved one bought or made for you, take time to remember your brothers and sisters around the world whose lives may be in danger in the very moment you are sharing your love with one another. "Merry Christmas" for them just may mean living through the night without fear of reprisal for living for Jesus.

A Not-So-Holy-Holiday

For many, including myself, Christmas is more than a holiday; it is a holy celebration. Our tradition includes prayer and the reading of Christ's birth in Luke, chapter 2. We give gifts--lots of them; but we remember the main thing.

That was not so for some. My daughter works part time at a theater. They had to call the police when a wheel chair-bound lady attacked a pregnant lady. Silent night, holy night....

I read about a store clerk who attacked and viciously stabbed a customer in a mall in Jackson, MS. All is calm...

America has a ready answer for such events: holiday stress. I watched morning news broadcasts that told me over and over again about how to avoid holiday stress.

Let's go to the root problem, folks. Jesus is not the main thing for too many of us. Our families may be; our own reputation as being a generous giver may be; but Jesus, the reason for the season (pardon the cliche), is playing second or third chair in our symphony.

The dust has settled for many of us. So take stock this week. What kind of holiday was it for you?

Merry WHAT?

This post is not for the politically sensitive; if you are of that persuasion, build a bridge now. I am about to say the two most-dreaded words of the season:

Merry Christmas!
Feliz Navidad!

I think even the politically-challenged, those who have regularly feasted on revisionist history, will agree that I have the Constitutional right to say Merry Christmas. After all, even the ACLU (American Communist Liar's Union) defends the right for me to express myself on my own blog.

I have the historical right to say Merry Christmas. It is only in the most modern of our history that some logger-head politicians and activist judges have dissuaded Americans from shouting those words. Christmas in America trumps Kwanza, Ramadan, the Hajj, and a whole bunch of other things.

And I have the theological right to say Merry Christmas. My God, the sole creator of this universe, dissected the curtain of time, conceived his son in a virgin named Mary, and thereby forever changed the world. That single event set into motion a series of events that culminated in the salvation of millions, well over a billion, of men and women over the past 2,000 years.

Salvation is exclusively through Jesus. That is precisely why the politically-challenged fear, shun, spurn, and scorn the idea of a Christmas that celebrates Christ. They may clothe their arguments in the garments of tolerance and even equality; but make no mistake: they are fearful of the idea of only Jesus as Lord.

It won't change a thing, though. I plan to have a Merry CHRISTmas. I will delight in his presence with me. And I will make room at my table for all who wish to do the same.

So, Merry Christmas!